Improvement in hat-conpormators



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Lette/rs Patent No. 85,041, lated December 15, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN HAT-CGNFORMATORS.

The Schedule referred to in theeev Letters Patent and making part of the patrie.v

To all whom it may concern:

a Be it known that I, E. Z. WEBSTER, of Norwich, in the county of New London, and in the State of Gonnecticut, have invented an Improved Hat-Gonformator; and do hereby declare that the following'is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view.

Figure 2 isa bottom view of the sliding bar for carrying the roller and pencil.

Figure 3 isl a cross-section of fig. 2, upon the line xx.

Figui-e4 is a cross-section of iig. 2,lupon'the line y y.

Figure 5 shows the spring for holding the paper upon the tablet.

Figure 6 is another view ofthe same.

Figure 7 shows the manner of securing together the tip and tablet by means of a stud.

Letters oi like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

My invention relates to a class of devices known as hat-conformators, used for obtaining the size and shape of the head, for 'the purpose of fitting the stiff unyielding rims of hats thereto; and

lt consists, principally, in the construction and ar'- rangement ot' a number of flexible ribs, hinged or otherwise secured at one end of each to a suitable block or tip-disk, in size and shape corresponding to the head, and attached at the other end to an elastic band, in such a manner as to allow them to expand or contract, so as to conform to the size and shape of the head when placed thereon.

It also consists in the means used for transcribing upon paper the exact size and shape ofthe head, as is fully described below.

.ln the annexed drawings- Y A represents an oval disk' or tip, six by seven and one-half inches in diameter, and one-half inch thick, around the outer edge of which is hinged or otherwise secured one end of a number of iiexible strips or ribs, of metal or other suitable material, B, about four inches long, the other ends of which are attached to a circular velastic band, G, the block A representing the top, and the ribs B and band C, the sides of a hat.

It will be readily seen that if this device is placed upon the head, the band andl ribs will yield, so as to conform to its size and shape.

vAttached to and extending upwards from the centre of the tip-disk A is a stud a, one inchlong and threeeighths of an inch in diameter, terminating-in a screw one and one-fourth inch long and one-fourth of an inch in diameter.

A nut, D, one and one-fourth inch in diameter and one-fourth of an inch thick, is screwed rmly against the outer end of the stud, and upon said nut is placed a supporting-tablet, of wood'or other light material, E, ten inches long, eight inches wide, and one-fourth of au inch thick, against which it is held by a thumbnut, l), upon the screw, which extends through the supporting-tablet.

F represents a slide, formed of a strip of wood, ten I inches long androne inch square, with a slot, threeeighths of an inch wide, extending lengthwise through its centre, nearly to either end.

The sides of this slot are grooved, as shown in fig. 3, to admit and holda sliding piece, f, conforming in shape to the sides and grooves of said slot.

Attached to one end oi' the sliding piece f is a rod, f,`whi ch extends-vleugthwise'through the slot, to its end, where it passes through a suitable hole in the end of the slide.

A spi-ral spring, o, is placed around the rod f', which, being confined between the end ofthe slot and the sliding piece f, presses the latter towards the opposite end of said slot.

The slide F is placed between the top of the tipdisk A and nut D, with the stud c passing through the slot, said stud forming an axial pivot, around which the slide revolves.

The sliding piece f resting against the stud a, and thel spiral spring o pressing against said sliding piece and the end oi' the slot, the opposite end of the slide isheld towards the centre while allowing it'to be drawn It will be seen that'if the device is-placed upon the head, and the slide revolved around the stud, the spiral spring will cause the roller H topress upon the band C, and follow its shape, moving the end of the slide F in or out, so .that if suitable means were provided by which a line could be traced by said slide, an exact diagram ofthe shape of the head would be obtained.

To accomplish the above-named result, a pencil, h, is enclosed within a tube, z'and caused to press downwards, by means oi' a spiral spring, '1, placed between its upper end and the endfot the tube, an opening being provided in thelower end of said tube, of suliicient size only to allow the point of the pencil to project through the tube.

The tube iis of suitable size to pass through the slot in the slide F, and is provided withprojections u'pon its. sides that iit into the grooves in the sides of said slot.

A bolt, k, secured to one sidev of lthe tube i, passes through a horizontal slot, s, in the slide F, having a fixed nut' upon one end, and a thumb-nut upon the other, by means of which the tube and pencil can be adj usted to any desired distance from the centre around which it revolves, causing it to trace a large or small diagram.

Sheets of paper are placed upon the under side of the supporting-tablet E, Where they are held in place by means of wire springs I, the construction and operation of which are su'ciently illustrated by gs. 5 and 6. l The operation of this device is easy, and readily understood. v

The supporting-tablet E is removed, a sheet of paper placed upon its under side, and the tablet replaced. The band C is now adjusted upon the head until in the position that the hat is-designed to occupy, and the slide F caused to revolve around the stud,"carrying with it The pencil, which, by meansof the .roller H pressing lightly against the band 0,7is caused to record upon the paper an exact diagram of the shape'of thehead,

which diagram may be the exact size' of the head, or

larger or smaller, as is desired.

l desire it to be understoodthat I do not conine myself to the particular devices herein described forV tracing the diagram, as other and various means for producing a like result will readily suggest themselves,

Vbut claim the right to employ any and allmeans, in

combination Awith the tip-disk'A, ribs B, elastic band C, and roller H, whereby diagram of the size and shape ofa head may be' transcribed upon any suitable.

substance, for the purpose setforth.

'lhe advantages possessedby this device over all others in use, intended for a like-pin'pose, are that its parts are so few and its construction so simple, that it is not liable to get ,out of order, and can be furnished at a much lower rate, thus placing it Within the reach of a greater number.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of ,my invention,

That I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The flexible ribs B and elastic band C, hinged or otherwise secured to a disk or tip, A, of suitable form, so that when placed upon the head, the band, with the ends of the ribs attached thereto, shall expand or contract, so as to conform to the size and shape ofthe head, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

Also, in combination with the tip-disk A and supporting-tabletv E, the stud a, whichy rigidly attaches said parts together, and forms an axis for the slideF, substantially as shown and described.

AVin specified.

Also, in combination with the supporting-tablet E, the springs I, for holding the paper thereon, substantially as shown and described.

Also, the slide F, provided with a suitable tracingpoint, in combination with the arm G, provided with a guide-finger or wheel resting upon the baud C, by means revolve'around said band, a diagram of its contour is traced upon the surface of the tablet E, as and for the purpose specified.v

Witnesses L. HILLARD, SIDNEY L. v GEER.

Also, the supporting-tablet E, made detachable fromv the spindle a, substantially as and for the purpose here-z:

of which, when pressed lightly against and caused to Also, the sliding piece f, rod f', and spiralspring o, i in combination with the slide F, kfor the purpose herein 

